If your nails look like this it could mean you had coronavirus

Many of us are aware that symptoms of Covid-19 could be fever or chills, cough, or body aches to name a few. But did you know that depending on the way your nails look, it can be an indication of the virus?

Two words: Covid nails.

According to the HuffPost, Professor Tim Spector, who is the principal investigator of the Zoe COVID Symptom Study app took to Twitter to share the Covid nails phenomena.

“Do your nails look odd?,” Spector’s Twitter caption began. COVID nails are increasingly being recognised as the nails recover after infection and the growth recovers leaving a clear line. Can occur without skin rashes and appears harmless,” it continues.

Officially known as Beau’s lines, the horizontal grooves or indentations that are on the nail bed can be caused by injury or illness. Most times, it’s harmless.

However, it’s worth knowing that Covid-19 is not the only cause for Beau’s lines.

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Other health ailments such as hypertension and epilepsy to name a couple also can cause trauma to the nails.

The Canadian Medical Journal also published a report of a 45-year old man who had the horizontal grooves that Beau’s lines are associated with on his fingernails and toenails. He was diagnosed with Covid-19  after a positive PCR swab test over three months prior. The symptoms lasted for 10 days without the need to be admitted into the hospital.

Additionally, researchers state that there isn’t an actual treatment for the lines in the nails as they usually go back to normal once the issue at hand is resolved. This process could take around six months for the lines and nails to grow out healthily again.

All in all, should you see your nails appear with lines, grooves, or anything that seems abnormal, it’s not always related to respiratory viruses. Still, you must get it checked out for confirmation!